The Winchmore Hill woman received £15,000 in compensation after switching practices and taking the matter to court.

Ms Simpkin's woes began eleven years ago after X-rays showed visible decay under two teeth and a faulty filling in a third.

Despite the signs, Dr Addleson failed to treat Ms Simpkin for the decay and simply replaced the filling.

Four years later, no treatment had been taken and further X-rays showed the teeth had worsened, with decay appearing underneath the replacement filling.

Ms Simpkin told the Enfield Independent that she had experienced serious pain ten months after these X-rays and was in “agony.”

She said: “It was just in one tooth but it was agony. I saw Dr Artopoulos this time, who spotted the decay in one tooth and said I needed a root canal treatment and a crown. He suggested I made another appointment to have that done. However before I could get back in to have the treatment the pain had spread to another tooth.”

After going back in May 2008, she was prescribed painkiller after X-rays revealed extensive decay in two teeth and further root canal treatment would be needed.

She added: “At this point it was starting to become a nightmare. Another one of my teeth got really sensitive to cold, so I went back again to the practice a month later.

“I had the filling in that tooth taken out and a temporary one put in and was told I might need another root canal treatment, which would be the third in two months.

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“I went back to the practice again in November 2008 because four fillings had become loose. I saw a different dentist this time and found out a fourth tooth was so badly decayed it needed to be taken out. I was devastated.”

Having both failed to take any action, Ms Simpkin said that she “didn’t trust” Dr Addleson and saw Dr Artopoulos in February 2009.

She said: “But I did see Dr Artopoulos in February 2009 because the lower-left side of my face had started to hurt very badly and two of my fillings that had been loose in November had now fallen out. He started a root canal treatment in one tooth and I had the tooth that needed to be removed taken out by another dentist.”

A further crown fitted to the took by Dr Artopoulos in April 2010 fell out completely four months later and the 33-year-old decided to switch practices.

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Solicitor Emma Owen of Dental Law Partnership said: “The dentists’ failure to diagnose Kristina’s tooth decay resulted in far-reaching consequences for her. Their standards were far below what is expected and Kristina has lost two teeth as a result of their inaction.”

Ms Simpkin added: “I had a hellish few years because of Dr Addleson and Dr Artopoulos and I feel completely let down. I still don’t understand how they could have let things get so bad. I’m glad my case has now been settled so I can begin to move on with my life.”

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